Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a swipe card will be introduced for old age contributory and non-contributory pensions in 2008; and the date of same. [9525/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is implementing a three year strategy to change paper based payment instruments to electronic payments at post offices and financial institutions. The programme is being implemented on a phased basis to coincide with book renewal production schedules and as personalised payable order books expire.

The current range of payment options offered by my Department to customers' includes payment at a local post office or to a bank or building society account; or certain credit unions that have been authorised by the banking and credit union regulators. Customers opt for a particular payment method having regard to their own personal circumstances.

Since September 2007, State Pension Contributory and State Pension Non-Contributory customers have been paid at their nominated Post Office using a Social Service card or at a Financial Institution.

From the end March 2008, some 5,000 State Pension Contributory customers' will be changed from a Personalised Payment Order (PPO) book to payment using Social Services Card. A further group of both State Pension Contributory and Non Contributory customers will be changed to payment using a Social Service Card from the end September 2008.

The replacement of books with Social Service cards will have no impact on customers paid at post offices. Customers will simply present their Social Services Card at all Post Offices and sign for their payment in the normal way. An Post and the Irish Postmaster's Union (IPU) are committed to assisting customers in the use of cards for collecting their payment.

For those customers who cannot collect their payment in person, the Department is putting arrangements in place to allow a nominated person collect their payment using a Social Services card.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 268: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps he will take to address the situation where employers are not obliged to make payments to employees on maternity leave but make full payments to them when they are on sick leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9538/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Maternity Benefit is an income maintenance payment awarded by this Department to eligible women for a 26-week period on foot of a confinement. Entitlement to this benefit for employees is contingent on entitlement to statutory Maternity Leave.

Under the provisions of social welfare legislation, the 26-week period of core statutory Maternity Leave attracts a payment from my Department — subject to certain social insurance contribution conditions being fulfilled. Maternity Leave legislation also provides an option for a woman to take an additional 16-week period of leave that does not attract a benefit payment.

Some employment contracts may allow for additional periods of leave to be taken or for an additional top-up payment to be made above the normal entitlement to Maternity Benefit. These arrangements are discretionary private contractual arrangements agreed between employers and workers and, as such, are outside the realm of social welfare legislation.

Similarly, an employee has no right under employment law in Ireland to be paid by their employer while on sick leave. Consequently, it is at the discretion of the employer to decide his/her own policy on sick pay and sick leave, subject to the employee's contract or terms of employment. Under Section 3 of the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994 and 2001 an employer must provide an employee with a written statement of terms of employment within two months of the commencement of the employment. One of the terms referred to in this Act on which the employer must provide information is the terms or conditions relating to incapacity for work due to sickness or injury.

If an employee has no entitlement in their terms and conditions of employment to pay during sick leave, they may apply for Illness Benefit entitlement to which is based on their PRSI contribution record.